If the developers had stuck to their original plan, GTA: San Andreas would have three separate maps.
On 26 October 2004, Rockstar Games officially launched GTA: San Andreas. The action-adventure game, which was the seventh entry in the franchise, stood out because of its stunning visuals and captivating storytelling. Apart from registering a place for itself in the hearts and minds of gamers, GTA: San Andreas went on to win several important awards as well.
Several things worked in favor of GTA: San Andreas. A large number of fans stated that it had the best story arc ever designed for a protagonist in a GTA game. It gave players the opportunity to explore several interesting locations. The sense of adventure in the game was palpable and played an important role in drawing a large number of gamers towards it.
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Though GTA: San Andreas came out two decades ago, it is still discussed extensively in gaming communities. The ones, who were in school when they started playing the game, are now parents to school-going children. Reminiscing memories associated with the game, therefore, is a special experience for them.
When one analyses the games released as a part of the GTA franchise, one realizes very few games had as many memorable characters as GTA: San Andreas. While Carl ‘CJ’ Johnson has become an integral part of one’s pop culture, many other characters from the game, like Catalina, Sweet Johnson, Big Smoke, Office Frank Tenpenny and Ryder have also become extremely popular. Secondary characters, like The Truth, OG Loc and Wu Zi Mu, too, have made their mark.
Though GTA 5 is known for featuring the biggest map in the franchise, GTA: San Andreas has the distinction of having the most diverse map. With time, Rockstar Games introduced three major cities, along with a plethora of minor locations, in the game. The geographical lock mechanism also played a part in making players more curious about the game and all that it offers them to explore. The hidden secrets on the map were fun to explore for many players.
When it comes to detailing, GTA: San Andreas joins the ranks of games like GTA 4 and GTA 5 which were also widely acclaimed for showcasing a lot of things in a detailed manner. When you played GTA: San Andreas, you realized developers have put in a lot of effort to ensure there is a sense of intricacy and pointedness in the game.
While most GTA fans have been happy with the way GTA: San Andreas was surprised, many would be surprised to know that the developers had some other plans for it. Through a post recently shared on X, the developer Obbe Vermeij, former technical director at Rockstar North, revealed that the developing team had initially planned to put together three different cities on separate maps. This would have been similar to the approach they had taken while working on GTA 1 and GTA 2. If this plan was executed, players would have to travel from one city to another with the help of airplanes and trains.
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Vermeij opined that this decision might have worked as the memory capacities of the PS2 have been limited. To deal with the shortage in memory, this particular plan might have worked very well. The developer also shared an image depicting the original plan for the game.
If GTA: San Andreas had three separate maps, the game might have been more dynamic and fun. Every city would have its own police, firetrucks and ambulances. The designers at Rockstar North had begun the process of working on three maps but the developers decided against it at the last moment and opted to make one big map which ended up featuring city-specific pickups, weather and police cars. Vermeij was a part of the meetings where all these decisions were taken.
Tanya Jacobs focuses solely on the fast-paced world of gaming, from PC to console. With nearly 2,000 posts in the niche, she consistently covers all major leaks, industry news, and game updates the moment they happen. You can find all her posts here.